The Boy in the Garden

Introduce your child(ren) to the Japanese folktale, The Grateful Crane, using a unique story!

Say, Allen.
The Boy in the Garden.
October 2010.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

A little boy visiting a neighbor's house and garden suddenly becomes lost between the world of reality and dream, visiting the setting of a story his mother had once told him about The Grateful Crane.

This story is wonderful because it encourages the use of childrens' imagination and exploration! The book is definitely for older elementary children however, as the plot is at times confusing. However, for those with the ability to process the difference between reality and imagination, it's definitely appropriate!



If you're interested in finding out more information about any of the books reviewed or if you'd like to purchase the books, click the cover image for a link to Amazon.com. I am an Amazon Affiliate, so any purchases you make after clicking these images will result in my receiving a small percentage of the sale price!

There Was an Old Lady...

Today is Simms Taback's 77th Birthday. He has illustrated over thirty-five children's books and is famously known for his retelling of the American Folk Tale, There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. I was first introduced to this book when I was in kindergarten and it has been a favorite of mine for many, many years! I was sooooooo happy to discover there were other books (by different authors) that have mimicked the tale in many ways but added their own touch and changed what the old lady swallowed! So, in honor or Taback's birthday, I'm celebrating with reviews of several different versions of There Was an Old Lady...

Taback, Simms.
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly!
1997.
Viking: New York, NY.

Ages: 5-8
Genre: Folk Tales
Guided Reading Level: L

Review/Summary:

I think most everyone knows this story! The old lady has swallowed a fly and now it's buzzing inside her. Somehow, she's got to get rid of that fly! But her efforts to rid her body of the fly result in another animal that her body must get rid of - a spider, a bird, a cat, a dog, a
cow, and a horse... She died of course!

It was a childhood favorite of mine, and this version, as well as all of the others definitely get the kids laughing (mainly due to the hilarious things that are being swallowed and the rhyming text) when I read to them aloud in any classroom where I might happen to be subbing.

The story actually makes for a really good sequencing and retelling activity, because it's predictable but complex enough that it makes students remember order. This book was really cool because you can see the woman's stomach growing and see each additional insect/bug/animal as it's being swallowed. The book is also very colorful and attractive to the eye, which is sure to capture the attention of children.

Sloat, Teri.
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Trout!
1998.
Henry Holt and Company, Inc.: New York, NY.

Ages: 4-7
Genre: Folk Tales
Guided Reading Level: J

Review/Summary:

There was an old lady who swallowed a trout that spished and splashed and thrashed about... and many other sea animals (salmon, otter, whale, seal, just to name a few)! In this predictable tale, readers will delight in not only the tale of what the old lady swallowed, but also in the illustrations that depict the sea wildlife of the Pacific Northwest.

Colandro, Lucille.
There Was A Cold Lady Who Swallowed Some Snow.
2003.
Scholastic, Inc.: New York, NY.

Ages: 4-8
Genre: Folk Tales
Guided Reading Level: I

Review/Summary:

In this winter version of the popular tale There Was An Old Lady, Colandro takes us through the story of the cold lady who has swallowed some snow! She gets so cold from swallowing the snow that she goes on to swallow a pipe to warm her soul. But, in order to keep that pipe aglow, she has to swallow some coal! The cold lady goes on to swallow a hat, a stick, a scarf. When she's had enough she hiccups... Kids should quickly be able to tell what happens when she hiccups based on the illustrations! It's a snowman!

This story is not likely to disappoint children, as it follows along the same style of Colandro's other versions of There Was An Old Lady books, all of which are listed below. Click on the links for more information or to purchase the books!

• There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bell
• There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Shell
• There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat
• Un dia una Senora se trago una campana!

Lesson Plans/Reading Activities:

• There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Trout
• There Was an Old Lady and Probability
• There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat
• There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly Pull Through
• Book-Technology Connections: There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly
• I Know an Old Lady
• There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Shell
• There Was an Old Lady Reproducible
• There Was an Old Lady Story Telling Doll
• And Kristen over at Kristen's Kindergarten also has some reading activities to follow along with There Was an Old Lady Who...

The Storytelling Princess

The author of more than 20 books for adults and children, Rafe Martin celebrates his birthday today!

Martin, Rafe.

The Storytelling Princess.
2001.
G.P. Putnam's Sons.

Ages: 4-8
Genre: Fables, Folk Tales, Myths
Guided Reading Level: N/A

Review/Summary:

Swept overboard on her way to meet her prince "husband-to-be," the storytelling princess overcomes the tragedy and lives to tell her own story to the prince of her dreams... who just happens to be the same prince her father had arranged her marriage to.

This was a great tale and tells a wonderful story!

Martin, Rafe.
The Boy Who Lived with the Seals.
1993.
G.P. Putnam's Sons.

Ages: 4-8
Genre: Fables, Folk Tales, Myths
Guided Reading Level: M

Review/Summary:

Based on a tale originating from the Chinook Indians, Martin shares with us the story of the boy who lived with the seals. While his father is busy by the river working on preparing a canoe for the family to use for the spring migration, a young boy is playing in the nearby river (wading, tossing pebbles, splashing in the water). However, it is believed he has wandered off and after three weeks of searching the young boy remains unfound. Years later, after yet another spring migration, a woman from another tribe shares the story about the seals that love the island where the river empties into the sea. Among the seals, there is a boy... As the story goes on, we discover that this boy with the seals is indeed the missing child from years ago. However, despite all of their efforts, the boy never readjusts to life among the humans but continues to show his love to his parents by providing them with a new canoe for each spring migration.

This is a powerful tale that is wonderfully presented! Would be a wonderful addtion to a unit of tales or as part of a unit of study on the Native Americans.